The ads claim the
vehicles are in good condition and available for $18,000 to $22,000,
according to consumers. The ads bear names and contact information of
legitimate Indiana dealers, but the named dealers are not associated with
the ads and do not possess the vehicles purportedly offered for sale.

When consumers
contact the purported sellers using contact information from the online ads,
the “sellers” impersonate the legitimate dealers whose identities have been
assumed. The “sellers” then instruct consumers to wire money to bank
accounts and promise to ship the vehicles the next day. The sellers then
stop communicating and the consumers receive no vehicle.

The Attorney
General’s Office advises consumers who are considering purchasing a vehicle
advertised online to confirm the contact information provided in the
advertisement by visiting the Indiana Secretary of State's dealer website at

If any contact
information in the ad is different from that found on the website, be sure
to investigate why. Instead of contacting the seller using the information
from the ad, contact the seller using the contact information from the
Secretary of State's website.

Consumers should
always be wary of buying vehicles without physically inspecting them. If
sellers refuse requests to physically inspect vehicles prior to purchases,
you should not agree to any deal and should not send any money to such
sellers.

Anyone who believes
they have encountered an attempted scam is encouraged to file a consumer
complaint with the Office of the Attorney General at indianaconsumer.com